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Remembrance
''Prologue'' Vakama glared down at Matau, contempt in his green-tinged eyes. The Toa Hordika of Air was clinging desperately to a ledge, trying to reason with the Fire Toa. Below, the remaining Toa Hordika battled thousands of Visorak, firing Rhotuka Spinner after Rhotuka Spinner into the horde. They were losing. In the distance, a loud clang sounded as a monstrous yellow Rahi climbed slowly but steadily up a tall tower, making his way towards the Vortixx know as Roodaka and her ally: Sidorak, King of the Visorak. Vakama drank in the sights and sounds of battle as his former friend clung to the ledge for dear life, glancing over his shoulder at the long, deadly drop below. "Brother," Matau pleaded, his voice full of fear. "Please." "'Brother'?" Vakama laughed bitterly. He smiled cruelly as he brought his weapon down towards Matau's hands. "Hardly." Matau stared up at his old ally. No cry, no plea for mercy, came from his mouth. Below, the battle had grown silent. Even the redundant banging of Keetongu's weapon on stone had ceased. Vakama frowned, looking around for an explanation. "What have you done?" Vakama demanded, stunned by the silence. "Matau can't hear you." Vakama whirled, powering up his Rhotuka Spinner. He recognised the voice. "Makuta," he whispered. "No." A dark figure stepped out of the shadows, carrying a sword and radiating evil, the likes of which Vakama had not encountered since his battle with Teridax himself. "I am not Teridax," the figure said. "Merely a passing resemblance." "What have you done?" Vakama snarled, readying himself for a battle. "I have frozen time. You see, I have come here to feed, and your friend Roodaka may not be very pleased about what I am about to do." "Feed? Feed on what? Who are you?" The shadowy figure stepped into the light, his black and silver armor gleaming. "My name is not important." The being seemed amused by Vakama's inquisitions. "I am here to feed." "Feed on what?" Vakama repeated, although he suspected he already knew the answer. "Not what," the dark figure said. "Whom." Moving forward faster than Vakama's eyes could follow, the being grabbed Vakama's mutated Kanohi Huna with a clawed hand. The mask eminated a dark aura, which the being quickly absorbed into his hand. Stepping away, the figure smiled. "As you were," he said, and stepped back into the shadows. Vakama blinked, his eyes returning to their regular yellow color. He spun around, just in time to see Matau release his hold on the ledge. "Matau!" The Fire Toa took two quick steps and threw himself over the ledge, after the Air Toa. In the shadows, the dark figure smiled, and disappeared. ''One'' The white-armored figure paced his office. A blade was sheathed on his hip, and a large jet pack was mounted on the wall behind him. Looking down at himself, Caminus frowned. My armor used to be grey. He knew he really should be grateful to the other him but he simply couldn't. Erebus, the shadow creature had called himself. Erebus, or chaos in the Matoran language. In a more literal translation, the name could mean evil, or shadow. Caminus frowned, considering the name. It was appropriate, considering the creation and nature of the shadow duplicate. Clones, ''Caminus thought. ''Or vezon, as the ancient Tohunga called them. One of the worst ideas the brotherhood ever had. '' Fingering the hilt of his blade, Caminus thought back to that fateful night, all those years ago... ''Forty years ago..... Caminus grinned, zooming his grey Kanohi Akaku in on the keyhole. He crouched down, eye level with the mechanism. "Easy," he muttered, drawing his blade. Rather than picking the lock, he thrust the blade into the crack between the door and the wall, heating it to nearly a thousand degrees. The white-hot weapon melted easily through the bolt, allowing the ancient stone door to slide open on perfectly oiled hinges. Caelum, ''Caminus broadcast mentally. Call Fulgor. I'm in. The reply came back almost instantly: ''This was too easy. It has to be a trap. '' Caminus grinned. You know I love a challenge. The warrior stooped, stepping through the low doorframe, and entered the mountain. Mount Valmai was famous, partially for its monstrous size, partly for its rather violent habit of exploding violently and wiping out any Matoran, Toa, and Rahi in a fifty-kio radius. That, and because it held the most dangerous mask in existance: The Kanohi Inika, the Mask of Life. As he entered the tunnel, Caminus again employed his Kanohi, staring down the seven hundred and seventy-seven steps, seeing all the way to the bottom, where two creatures, one insane beyond recovery, the other driven by bloodlust, waited for any who would claim the Inika for their own. Without so much as a twinge of uncertainty, Caminus began the long journey down the stairs, ready for battle. ''Present day... "Sir? Lord Caminus, sir?" Caminus looked up suddenly. A Po-Matoran stood before him. Akhmou, Caminus realised. "Enough with the Lord Caminus," the warrior said, though not unkindly. "And don't call me sir. It's just Caminus. "Sorry, sir -" Akhmou gulped, realising his mistake, and corrected it. "I mean, sorry, Caminus. It's just, they need you up there. Chirox broke through the barrier, but there's no sign of him. His armor was found empty near the wall. They need your help finding him. Please si- I mean, Caminus, but Turaga Vakama knows that you have an, erm, special relationship-" "There's no need," Caminus sighed, standing. "Chirox is dead." "I mean no offense by asking, my l- " Akhmou flinched as Caminus glared at him "- Well, how could he be dead?" "He's here." Akhmou's eyes widened. "How do you know?" "Because, you are standing here, a pawn of Teridax, and you are not attacking me. I am very sorry, Akhmou," Caminus' eyes were sad as he admitted: "I can't help you." Akhmou frowned. A pawn of Makuta? That couldn't be right. And help him? He was feeling fine. Better than he had since before the Great Cataclysm. Caminus shook his head, preparing himself mentally for what was to come. No good would come from this. "Go," Caminus said sadly. "Find Nokama, tell her that the shadows are disappearing. She will know what I mean." "Uh, yes, sir." "And Akhmou?" Caminus said. "Yes, sir?" "''Don't ''call me sir." Akhmou apologized, trotting out of the room. Caminus stood, Facing the long downward staircase, and again his mind flashed back to that journey, years ago. Category:Stories